C019D9C090E03@comcast.net> f1b2c9a0   
   Title - Decoding the Enigma   
   Authors - Amy Jonas and MagsRose   
   E-mail - adjonas2000@yahoo.com or magsrose@comcast.net   
   Rating - FRT-13 (PG - 13)   
   Category - AU/Gen/Het   
   Archive - Just let us know.   
   Feedback - Yes, please. Any kind is always welcome. We just like to know   
   someone is reading this stuff.   
   Disclaimer - Without Prejudice. The names of all characters contained here in   
   are the property of Chris Carter, et. al. No infringements of these copyrights   
   are intended, and are used here without permission. All original characters   
   are the sole property    
   of Mags or Amy and may not be used without the author's permission.   
   Summary - In 1940, Private Investigator, Melvin Frohike thought he was working   
   on a simple missing person case but he soon found himself embroiled in   
   something far more sinister.   
   Authors' notes - After seeing the Maltese Falcon, Amy presented Mags with an   
   idea for The X-Files characters in an Alternate Universe.  Intrigued by the   
   possibilities, Mags suggested a co-authoring effort.  The result is the story   
   you see here.  Thanks    
   to Erynn and Alison for betaing this for us.   
      
      
      
   Chapter 20   
      
      
   The grandfather clock in Byers' front hall clunked and whirred to life to   
   announce the hour. Despite being fully aware of the time, Dana Scully silently   
   counted the ten chimes. "I had hoped we'd have heard something by now," she   
   said.   
      
    "Agent Doggett said not to worry until at least 11 p.m." Byers explained.   
      
   "What did he say to do at that point?"   
      
   "He wants me to contact Police Chief Skinner, then the FBI." Although he   
   didn't say it, this was the main reason Byers had not accompanied the others   
   on the exchange. If the whole business blew up in their faces, someone with   
   some clout would know what    
   had gone down and could help the authorities sort the whole thing out.   
      
   They lapsed into silence, each lost in his or her own thoughts.  After a   
   minute or so, Byers asked, "How long have you known Mr. Frohike?"   
      
   Fully understanding that he was trying to change the subject to something less   
   worrisome, Dana said, "Only a few days. We met when he came in to identify   
   poor little Molly Jenning's body. He wanted to make sure it was her before   
   bringing her parents in.    
   He said he didn't see any sense in putting them through that torture unless it   
   was absolutely necessary."   
      
   Byers nodded suppressing a grin at the admiration in her voice. Although he   
   had wondered at first what an intelligent woman like Dana Scully could see in   
   an old toad like Frohike, he was beginning to understand that his long   
   standing animosity towards    
   the man had blinded him to the private investigator's better qualities.   
      
   "It couldn't have been easy for him either," said Byers. "I know he has a   
   daughter the same age."   
      
   Dana nodded. "The little girls were friends."   
      
   "I know. Carla told me," he said softly.   
      
   "Carla?"   
      
   "Carla Mason. She's a reporter for the DC Gazette. Have you seen her reports   
   on Molly's kidnapping and murder?"   
      
   "Yes," replied Dana. "She's good. She gets her facts straight. That's   
   refreshing from a medical examiner's point of view."   
      
   "It's the same for us in the DA's office," said Byers. "But I think her talent   
   goes beyond just getting the facts straight. She is a truly gifted writer. She   
   has an ability to make her readers understand what the people in her stories   
   are experiencing,    
   what they're feeling. She's an amazing woman."   
      
   This last comment made Dana look over at her companion. He was staring at a   
   spot halfway between his chair and the fireplace enjoying some memory he   
   wasn't sharing with her. Dana strongly suspected that Byers admired more than   
   just the reporter's writing    
   ability.   
      
   "You know Miss Mason personally?" asked Scully.   
      
   "We've met a couple of times." Realizing he'd said far more than he intended,   
   Byers quickly shifted the focus of the conversation. "Did Frohike ever mention   
   that we first met when he was a beat cop? I was still in private practice at   
   the time."   
      
   The DA did not seem comfortable talking about himself but had no problem   
   asking Dana about her personal life. It must be the lawyer side of him, she   
   surmised, always asking questions, trying to get to the truth. Either that or   
   he was working incredibly    
   hard to keep her distracted. She couldn't fault him for that.   
      
   "He told me that he and Police Chief Skinner were partners back then."   
      
   "They were," Byers confirmed. "They both made detective at the same time, too.   
   Shortly after that, Skinner started rising quickly through the ranks. It's too   
   bad…" Not wanting to discuss parts of Frohike's past that Dana may not be   
   aware of, Byers    
   stopped himself.   
      
   "I know there are some aspects of Mel's past that he's not proud of," said   
   Scully. "But he's a good man who cares about the people he's trying to help.   
   Sometimes I think that's part of the problem; he just cares too deeply."   
   Gazing once again at the fire,   
    she continued only much more softly than before. "I've never met anyone like   
   him."   
      
   Experiencing a fleeting moment of jealousy, the DA realized that Frohike had a   
   staunch ally in Dana Scully. Byers hadn't had that since Susanne died: a good   
   woman who believed in him. One who would stand by him through all hardships,   
   worries, trials and    
   tribulations. But then unasked, Carla's words came back to him. "You’re a good   
   man, John.  One of the best I’ve ever met." The genuine concern in her eyes at   
   that statement had surprised him and, on some level, had also pleased him.   
      
   Before Byers could further consider Carla's words, he heard another car turn   
   the corner onto his street. But this one did not pass on by as the others had;   
   this one slowed to a stop in front of his house.   
      
   He glanced at Dr. Scully. She had heard it, too. With both hands on the saucer   
   of her teacup she remained unmoving in her chair. The flickering firelight   
   showed the hope on her face but along with that hope, Byers noted a touch of   
   fear. What if it wasn't    
   them? What if it was the police or the FBI coming to tell them that everything   
   had gone horribly wrong?   
      
   Hearing voices outside, Byers got up and went to open the front door. Dana did   
   not accompany him, choosing instead to wait by the fire. Swinging the door   
   wide, Byers stepped out onto the porch.   
      
   He was relieved to see Frohike's car, looking no more damaged than it had when   
   Yves had driven off in it. Jimmy was already standing at the curb, offering   
   Yves a hand out of the back seat. Frohike slammed the door on the driver's   
   side looking none the    
   worse for wear. He could only guess that the man with the long blond hair was   
   the professor. When he bent over to retrieve the Enigma machine from inside   
   the car, Byers knew he had guessed correctly.   
      
   "You couldn't bring a different car," Professor Langly complained. "It was   
   freezing in that back seat without the rear window."   
      
   "You didn't seem to mind the first time you rode in my car," Frohike stated,   
   limping toward the house. His leg was bothering him again. He'd been running   
   on pure adrenaline back at the warehouse and hadn't felt it at all.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)